The Lightning Thief Annabeth's Pov
by Olympian814
Summary: It's basically the book just in Annabeth's POV, though.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own ANY Percy Jackson & the Olympian characters.**

* * *

My dream went like this:

The Minotaur bore down on an unconscious Grover, who lay helpless in the grass. The monster hunched over, snuffling Grover, as if he was about to lift him up.

A boy stripped off his red rain jacket.

"Hey!" he screamed, waving the jacket, running to one side of the monster. "Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"

"Raaaarrrrr!" The monster turned toward him, shaking his meaty fists.

The boy put his back to Thalia's pine tree and waved his red jacket in front of the Minotaur.

The Minotaur charged, his arms out to grab him whichever way he tried to dodge.

Time seemed to slow down.

It looked like the boy's legs tensed. He couldn't jump sideways, so he leaped straight up, kicking off from the creature's head, using it as a springboard, turning in midair, and landing on his neck.

How did he do that? I didn't have time to figure it out. A millisecond later, the monsters head slammed into the tree.

The Minotaur staggered around trying to shake him. The boy locked his arms around the Minotaur's horn to keep from being thrown. Thunder and lightning were still going strong.

The monster shook himself around and bucked like a rodeo bull.

Meanwhile, Grover started groaning in the grass. It looked like the boy wanted to yell at him to shut up, but by the way he was getting tossed around, if he opened his mouth he'd bite his own tongue off.

"Food!" Grover moaned.

The Minotaur wheeled toward him, pawed the ground again, and got ready to charge. The boy got both hands around one horn and he pulled backward. The monster tensed, gave a surprised grunt, then-_snap! _

The Minotaur screamed and flung him through the air. He landed flat on his back in the grass. His head smacked against a rock. When he sat up, he still had the horn in his hands, a ragged bone weapon the size of a knife.

The monster charged.

The boy rolled to one side and came up kneeling. As the monster barreled past, he drove the broken horn straight into his side, right up under his furry rib cage.

The Minotaur roared in agony. He flailed, clawing at his chest, then began to disintegrate.

The monster was gone.

Then I woke up. I didn't know what to do, so I decided to go talk to Chiron. So I got out of bed and went to the Big House.

When I got there, it took a while, but Chiron answered the door.

"What is it child?" he asked.

"Well, I had this dream abou-," then I heard a noise, so I turned to see the boy in my dream.

"He's the one. He must be." I said.

"Silence, Annabeth," Chiron said. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own any Percy Jackson & the Olympian characters.**

I helped Chiron place him on the bed.

"Oh, and child," Chiron said. "Would you mind taking care of Percy?"

"Not at all, Chiron," I replied.

I got out the nectar and ambrosia and fed it to the so called 'Percy'. He seemed to mumble something about barnyard animals wanting food in his sleep. Naturally, I zoned out for a while.

"Math evil…Mrs. Dodds…disintegrating…" he mumbled.

He woke up and passed out several times after that. I was scraping drips of his chin when he woke up again.

"What will happen at the summer solstice?" I asked.

He managed to croak out, "What?"

I looked around to see if we were alone. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, "I don't…"

Somebody knocked on the door causing me to panic, so I quickly filled his mouth with nectar.

"Come in," I said innocently.

"He hasn't woken up has he?" Chiron asked.

"He woke up several times, but he fell back asleep just as quickly" I replied.

"Oh! Well, Argus is here to relieve you."

Okay Chiron," I said getting up. I took one last glance at Percy. He was pretty cute, based off of observation. I left to go take a quick nap.

After I woke up, I went to go see Luke.

"Hey, Luke," I said.

"Oh! Hey, Annabeth," Luke replied. "Chiron wants to see you."

"Okay?" I half said, half asked.

When I got there Chiron and Mr. D were playing there usual game of pinochle.

"Hey, Chiron!" I said.

It looked like he was about to reply, but Grover came over with Percy.

"That's Mr. D," Grover murmured to him. "He's the camp director. Be polite. The girl, that's Annabeth Chase. She's just a camper, but she's been here longer than just about anybody. And you already know Chiron…"

He said pointing to him.

"Mr. Brunner!" Percy cried,

"Ah, good, Percy," he said. "Now we have four for pinochle."

He offered him a seat to the right of Mr. D, who looked at him bloodshot eyes and heaved a great big sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you."

"Uh, thanks," Percy said while scooting away from him. I can't blame him. I would've done the same thing.

"Annabeth?" Chiron called.

I went forward and he introduced us. "This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

I said, "Sure, Chiron."

I took a quick glance at Percy. He was probably my age, maybe a couple inches smaller. He had black, unruly hair. And his eyes… his eyes were amazing! They were a sea green color with specks of gold in them.

I glanced at the Minotaur horn in his hands, then back at him. For the first time in my life I was truly speechless. So, I said the first thing that came to mind.

"You drool when you sleep," I said. Really, Annabeth? 'You drool when you sleep'? That's the best this daughter of Athena can come up with?

Then I sprinted down the lawn to cabin eleven to cover my embarrassment.

When I got to cabin eleven, two Hermes kids were fighting over something.

"Hey! Break it up!" I yelled.

"Hey, Annabeth!" Luke said calmly.

"Hey, Luke," I replied. "Chiron told me to come here to prepare a spot for the new kid."

"Okay, he can have that spot over there in the corner," Luke replied.

"Okay, bye," I said grabbing a book on the way out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Percy Jackson & the Olympians.**

I just started reading when Chiron trotted over with Percy.

"Annabeth," Chiron told me, "I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cabin eleven," Chiron told him, gesturing toward the doorway. "Make yourself at home."

When the campers saw Chiron, they all stood up and bowed respectfully.

"Well, then," Chiron said. "Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner."

He galloped away toward the archery range.

Percy stood in the doorway, looking at the kids. They weren't bowing anymore. They were staring at him, sizing him up.

"Well?" I prompted. "Go on."

So naturally he tripped coming in the door and made a total fool of himself. There were some snickers from the campers, but none of them said anything.

"Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven," I announced.

"Regular or undetermined?" somebody asked.

"Undetermined," I said.

Everybody groaned.

Luke stepped forward. "Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there."

"This is Luke," I said, my voice slightly higher. I saw Percy looking at me amused, so I hardened my expression. "He's your counselor for now."

"For now?" he asked.

"You're undetermined," Luke explained patiently. "They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers."

He looked around at the campers' faces, some sullen and suspicious, some grinning stupidly, some eyeing him as if they were waiting for a chance to pickpocket him.

"How long will I be here?" he asked.

"Good question," Luke said. "Until you're determined."

"How long will that take?"

The campers all laughed.

"Come on," I told him. "I'll show you the volleyball court."

"I've already seen it."

"Come on."

I grabbed his wrist and dragged him outside.

When we were a few feet away, I said, "Jackson, you have to do better than that."

"What?"

I rolled my eyes and mumbled under my breath, "I can't believe I thought you were the one."

"What's your problem?" He was getting angry now. "All I know is, I killed some bull guy-"

"Don't talk like that!" I told him. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train here for?"

He shook his head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was_ the_ Minotaur, the same one in the stories…"

"Yes."

"Then there's only one."

"Yes."

"And he died, like a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth, so…"

"Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die."

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up."

"They don't have souls like you and me. You can dispel them for awhile, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually they re-form."

"You mean if I killed one accidentally, with a sword-"

"The Fur…I mean your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."

"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"

"You talk in your sleep."

"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades torturers, right?"

I glanced nervously at the ground. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."

"Look, is there anything we _can _say without it thundering?" by this point he was starting to sound really whiny. "Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there."

He pointed to the first few cabins, and I'm pretty sure I turned pale. "You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or…your parent."

I stared at him, waiting for him to get it.

"My mom is Sally Jackson," he said. "She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least she used to."

"I'm sorry about your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad."

"He's dead. I never knew him."

I sighed._ 'This is going to take a while,' _I thought. "Your father's not dead, Percy."

"How can you say that? You know him?"

"No, of course not."

"Then how can you say-"

_The moment of truth,_ "Because I know _you_. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us."

"You don't know anything about me."

"No?" I raised an eyebrow. "I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."

"How-"

"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."

He tried to swallow his embarrassment. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Taken together, it's almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD- your impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see to much, Percy, not to little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are."

"You sound like…you went through the same thing?"

"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar."

"Ambrosia and nectar."

"The food and drink we were giving you to back you feel better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half-blood."

Suddenly a husky voice yelled, "Well! A newbie!"

I looked over to see Clarisse and three other girls behind her.

"Clarisse," I sighed. "Why don't you go polish your spear or something?" "Sure, Miss Princess," Clarisse said. "So I can run you through with it Friday night."

"_Erre es korakas_!" I said. "You don't stand a chance."

"We'll pulverize you," Clarisse said, but her eye twitched. She turned toward Percy. "Who's this little runt?"

"Percy Jackson," I said," meet Clarisse, daughter of Ares."

He blinked. "Like…the war god?"

_No, the singer._

Clarisse sneered. "You got a problem with that?"

"No," he replied. "It explains the bad smell."

Wow. Brave kid.

Clarisse growled. "We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy."

"Percy."

"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."

"Clarisse-" I tried to say.

"Stay out of it wise girl."

Percy handed me his Minotaur horn and got ready to fight, but Clarisse already had him by the neck and was dragging him to the bathroom before you could say 'Athena'. He was kicking and punching, but Clarisse had hands like iron.

I followed them into the bathroom. Clarisse's friends were all laughing.

"Like he's 'Big Three' material," Clarisse said as she pushed him toward one of the toilets. "Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."

Her friends snickered.

I stood in the corners, watching through my fingers.

Clarisse bent him over on his knees and started pushing his head toward the toilet bowl.

Then something happened. I heard the plumbing rumble, the pipes shudder. Clarisse's grip on his hair loosened. Water shot out of toilet, making an arc straight over Percy's head. He was sprawled on the bathroom tiles with Clarisse screaming behind him.

He turned just as water blasted out of the toilet again, hitting Clarisse straight in the face so hard it pushed her down onto her butt. The water stayed on her like the spray from a fire hose, pushing her backward into a shower stall.

She struggled, gasping, and her friends started coming toward her. But then the other toilets exploded, too, and six more streams of toilet water blasted them back. The showers acted up, too, and together all the fixtures sprayed the camouflage girls right out of the bathroom.

The entire bathroom was flooded. I hadn't been spared.

I was dripping wet, but I hadn't been pushed out the door. I was standing in exactly the same spot, shocked.

Percy looked down and realized he was sitting in the only dry spot in the room. There was a circle of dry floor around him. He didn't have one drop of water on his clothes.

He stood up, his legs shaky.

"How did you…" I said.

"I don't know."

We walked out the door. Outside, Clarisse and her friends were sprawled in the mud, and a bunch of other campers had gathered around to gawk. She gave Percy a look of absolute hatred. "Your dead, new boy. You are totally dead."

He probably should've let it go, but of course he didn't. "You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth."

Her friends had to hold her back. They dragged her back to cabin five.

Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to me. Clarisse would want revenge.

"What?" Percy said. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking," I said, "that I want you on my team for capture the flag."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own ANY Percy Jackson & the Olympian characters.**

I showed Percy a few more places: the metal shop, the arts-and-crafts room, and the climbing wall.

Finally, we returned to the canoe lake, where the trail led back to the cabins.

"I've got training to do," I said flatly. "Dinner's at 7:30. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall."

"Annabeth, I'm sorry about the toilets."

"Whatever."

"It wasn't my fault."

Really, it wasn't your fault? You became one with the plumbing!

"You need to talk to the Oracle," I said. _Then I will get my first quest…_

"Who?"

"Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron."

Percy stared into the lake. He noticed a couple of Naiads, who were waving at him.

Of course, he waved back.

"Don't encourage them," I warned. "Naiads are terrible flirts."

"Naiads," he repeated. "That's it I want to go home now."

I frowned. "Don't you get it, Percy? You _are_ home. This is the only place on earth for kids like us."

"You mean mentally disturbed kids?"

"I mean _not human_. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human."

"Half-human and half-what?"

"I think you know." _Because if you don't I'll regret that I ever thought you were 'the one'._

"God," he said. "Half-god." _Thank you Zeus!_

I nodded. "Your father isn't dead, Percy. He's one of the Olympians."

"That's…crazy."

"Is it? What's the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with humans and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?"

"But those are just-" he said, almost saying myths. "But if all the kids here are half-gods-"

"Demigods," I corrected. "That's the official term. Or half-bloods."

"Then who's your dad?" My hands clenched around the pier railing at the mention of my father.

"My dad is a professor at West Point," I said. "I haven't seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history."

"He's human."

"What? You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?" I snapped at him.

"Who's your mom, then?"

"Cabin six."

"Meaning?"

I straightened at the mention of my mother. "Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle."

"And my dad?" _What is this 20 questions?_

"Undetermined," I said, "like I told you before. Nobody knows."

"Except my mother. She knew."

"Maybe not, Percy. Gods don't always reveal their identities."

"My dad would have. He loved her."

I really didn't want to burst his bubble. "Maybe your right. Maybe he'll send a sign. That's the only way to know for sure: your father has to send you a sign claiming you as his son. Sometimes it happens."

"You mean sometimes it doesn't?" _Again with the questions! _I ran my palm along the rail. "The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and they don't always… Well, sometimes they don't care about us, Percy. They ignore us."

"So I'm stuck here," he said. "That's it? For the rest of my life?"

"It depends," I said. "Some campers only stay the summer. If you're a child of Aphrodite or Demeter, you're probably not a real powerful force. The monsters might ignore you, so you can get by with a few months of summer training and live in the mortal world the rest of the year. But for some of us, it's too dangerous to leave. We're year-rounders. In the mortal world, we attract monsters. They sense us. They come to challenge us. Most of the time, they'll ignore us until we're old enough to cause trouble-about ten or eleven years old, but after that, most demigods either make their way here, or they get killed off. A few manage to survive in the outside world and become famous. Believe me, if I told you the names, you'd know them. Some don't even realize they're demigods. But very, very few are like that."

"So monsters can't get in here?"

I shook my head. "Not unless they're intentionally stocked in the woods or specially summoned by somebody on the inside."

"Why would anybody want to summon a monster?"

"Practice fights. Practical jokes."

"Practical jokes?"

"The point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry farm."

"So…you're a year-rounder?"

I nodded. From under the collar of my t-shirt, I pulled out a leather necklace with five clay beads and a college ring.

"I've been here since I was seven," I said. "Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year. I've been here longer than most of the counselors, and they're in college."

"Why did you come so young?"

I twisted the ring on my necklace. "None of your business."

"Oh," we stood there for a minute in an uncomfortable silence. "So… I could just walk out of here right now if I wanted to?"

"It would be suicide, but you could, with Mr. D's or Chiron's permission. But they wouldn't give permission until the end of the summer session unless…"

"Unless?"

"You were granted a quest. But that hardly ever happens. The last time…"

My voice trailed off. The last time that happened…well let's just say it didn't end well.

"Back in the sick room," Percy said, "when you were feeding me that stuff-"

"Ambrosia."

"Yeah. You asked me something about the summer solstice."

My shoulders tensed. "So you _do _know something?"

"Well, no. Back at my old school, I overheard Grover and Chiron talking about it. Grover mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn't have much time, because of the deadline. What did that mean?"

I clenched my fists. "I wish I knew. Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won't tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so _normal_."

"You've been to Olympus?"

"Some of us year-rounders-Luke and Clarisse and I and a few others-we took a field trip during the winter solstice. That's when the gods have their big annual council."

"But…how did you get there?"

"The Long Island Railroad, of course. You get off at Penn Station. Empire State Building, special elevator to the 600th floor." I'm sure he's a New Yorker. "You are a New Yorker, right?"

"Uh, sure."

"Right after we visited," I continued, "the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting. A couple of times since, I've overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that something important was stolen. And if it isn't returned by summer solstice, there's going to be trouble. When you came, I was hoping…I mean-Athena can get along with just about anybody, except for Ares. And of course she has the rivalry with Poseidon. But, I mean, aside from that, I thought we could work together. I thought you might know something."

He shook his head.

"I've got to get a quest," I muttered to myself. "I'm _not_ to young. If they would just tell me the problem…"

I heard his stomach growl, so I told him to go on, I'd catch him later. He left me on the pier, tracing my finger across the rail.

I decided I might as well go to my cabin.

When I reached cabin six, everybody was either reading a book or drawing a battle plan/building waiting for dinner.

As soon as I said that, well, thought that, the conch horn signaling dinner was blown.

"Cabin six, fall in!" I said.

We lined up in order of seniority, so, of course, I was first.

We marched up the hill to the dining pavilion. Satyrs joined us from the meadow. Naiads emerged from the canoe lake. And a few wood nymphs came out of the woods.

"So, Annabeth, what have been thinking about Capture the Flag?" one of my sisters said.

"I was thinking we should pair up with the Hermes cabin," I replied.

"Why?" asked someone else ay my table.

Once I was done telling them my plan, one of my brothers said, " You know he'll probably hate you after that."

Before I could respond, Chiron pounded his hoof on the marble flooring, signaling everybody to be silent for a moment. He raised his glass. "To the gods!"

Everybody else raised their glasses an said, "To the gods!"

Wood nymphs came forward with platters of food.

I loaded my plate then waked over to the brazier. "Athena," I said._ Please help me get a quest._

I scraped a big slice of brisket into the flames.

When everybody had returned to their seats and finished their meal, Chiron pounded his hoof again.

Mr. D got up with a huge sigh. "Yes, I suppose I'd better say hello to all you brats. Well, hello. Our activities director, Chiron, says the next capture the flag is Friday. Cabin five presently holds the laurels."

A bunch of ugly cheering rose from the Ares table.

"Personally," he continued, " I couldn't care less, but congratulations. Also, I should tell you that we have a new camper today. Peter Johnson."

Chiron murmured something.

"Er, Percy Jackson," Mr. D corrected. "That's right. Hurrah, and all that. Now run along to your silly campfire. Go on."

"Was that who you were talking about?" asked my sister.

"Yeah," I replied.

Later in the evening, when the sparks from the campfire into a starry sky, the conch horn blew again, and we all filed back to our cabins.

When I closed my eyes, I fell asleep instantly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson and the Olympians and its characters. Though I wish I did...**

* * *

Every morning I helped Percy with his Ancient Greek.

Chiron tried to find something he was good at, but there was no such luck.

Finally, Friday came.

That night after dinner, there was more excitement than usual.

At last, it was time for capture the flag.

Campers yelled and cheered as two of my siblings and I ran into the pavilion carrying our flag. From the opposite side of the pavilion, Clarisse and her buddies ran in with their flag.

Chiron hammered his hoof on the marble.

"Heroes!" he announced. "You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!"

"Blue team, forward!" I yelled.

They cheered and shook their swords and followed me down the path to the south woods.

"Hey," Percy said.

I kept marching.

"So what's the plan?" he asked. "Got any magic items you can loan me?"

My hand drifted towards my pocket, making sure I still had my invisible hat.

"Just watch Clarisse's spear," I said. "You don't want that thing touching you. Otherwise, don't worry. We'll take the banner from Ares. Has Luke given you your job yet?"

"Border patrol, whatever that means."

"It's easy. Stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to me. Athena always has a plan."

I pushed ahead, leaving him in the dust.

"Malcolm!" I yelled as he came over. "Give everybody their positions like I told you."

"You got it!" he replied.

Finally, the conch horn blew. I put my hat on and crept towards the creek.

When I got there, Clarisse and her siblings were already there.

"Cream the punk!" Clarisse screamed.

They charged across the stream.

He managed to sidestep the first kid's swing. The Ares cabin surrounded him. Clarisse thrust at him with her spear. Luckily, his shield deflected the point.

He fell back.

Another Ares guy slammed him in the chest with the butt of his sword and Percy hit the dirt.

"Give him a haircut!" Clarisse said. "Grab his hair!"

He managed to get to his feet. He raised his sword, but Clarisse slammed it aside with her spear as sparks flew.

"Oh, wow," Clarisse said. "I'm scared of this guy. Really scared."

"The flag is that way," he told her.

"Yeah," one of Clarisse's siblings said. "But see, we don't care about the flag. we care about a guy who made our cabin look stupid."

"You do that without my help," he told them. Dead meat, now.

Two of them came at him. He backed up towards the creek, tried to raise his shield, but Clarisse was fast. Her spear stuck him straight in the ribs. _I warned him._ One of her cabin mates slashed his sword across his arm, leaving a good size cut.

"No maiming," he managed to say.

"Oops," the guy said. "Guess I lost my dessert privilege."

He pushed Percy into the creek. I was just about to go help him, but when Clarisse and her siblings came into the creek, he stood to meet them. He swung the flat of his sword against the first guy's head and knocked the guy's helmet clean off.

Two more came at him. He slammed one in the face with his shield and used his sword to shear off the other guy's horsehair plume. Both of them backed up quick. The other guy didn't look really anxious to attack, but Clarisse kept coming. As soon as she thrust, he caught the shaft between the edge of his shield and his sword, and he snapped it like a twig. Wow.

"Ah!" she screamed. "You idiot! You corpse-breath worm!"

She probably would've said worse, but he smacked her between the eyes with his sword-butt and sent her stumbling backward out of the creek.

Then I heard yelling, elated screams, and I saw Luke racing toward the boundary line with the red team's banner lifted high. He was flanked by a couple of Hermes guys covering his retreat, and a few Apollos behind them.

"A trick!" Clarisse shouted. "It was a trick!"

They staggered after Luke, but it was too late.

The game was over. We'd won.

I walked over to Percy.

"Not bad, hero." I said.

He looked around and I realized I was still invisible.

"Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?" I asked.

"You set me up," he said. "You put me there because you knew Clarisse would come after me, while you sent Luke around the flank. You had it all figured out."

I shrugged. "I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."

"A plan to get me pulverized."

"I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in but…" I shrugged. "You didn't need help."

Then I noticed his wounded arm. "How did you do that?"

"Sword cut," he said. "What do you think?"

"No. It _was_ a sword cut. Look at it."

The blood was gone. Where the huge cut had been, there was a long white scratch, and even that was fading.

"I-I don't get it," he said.

I looked down at his feet then, at Clarisse's broken spear. Finally, all the pieces came together.

"Step out of the water, Percy," I said.

"What-"

"Just do it."

When he came out of the creek, he almost fell over.

"Oh, Styx," I cursed. "This is _not_ good. I didn't want…I assumed it was Zeus."

A howl ripped through the forest.

The campers' cheering died instantly. Chiron shouted something in Ancient Greek, which I understood perfectly as, "_Stand ready! My bow!_"

I drew my sword.

There on the rocks just above us, was a hellhound.

It was staring straight at Percy.

"Percy, run!" I yelled.

I tried to step in front of him, but it was too fast. It leaped over me and just as it hit Percy, he staggered backward. There was a cascade of thwacking sounds. From the hellhound's neck sprouted a cluster of arrows. The monster fell dead at his feet.

Chiron trotted up next to us, a bow in his hand, his face grim.

"_Di immortales!_" I said. "That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't…they're not supposed to…"

"Someone summoned it," Chiron said. "Someone inside the camp."

Luke came over, the banner in his hand forgotten, his moment of glory gone.

Clarisse yelled, "It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!"

"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her.

We watched the body of the hellhound melt into a shadow, soaking into the ground until it disappeared.

"You're wounded," I told him. "Quick, Percy, get in the water."

"I'm okay." _Really?_

"No, you're not," I said. "Chiron, watch this."

He stepped into the creek, the whole camp gathering around him.

Instantly, the cuts on his chest started closing up. Some of the campers gasped.

"Look I-I don't know why," he said. "I'm sorry…"

Suddenly a trident appeared above his head, the symbol of his father.

"Percy," I said, pointing. "Um…"

By the time he looked up, the sign was already fading.

"Your father," I murmured. "This is_ really_ not good."

"It is determined." Chiron announced.

All around him, campers started kneeling, even the Ares cabin, though they didn't look happy about it.

"My father?" he asked.

"Poseidon," said Chiron. "Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God."

_Oh, gods. This is defiantly __**not**__ good._


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson and the Olympians and its characters.**

* * *

The next morning, Chiron moved Percy to cabin three.

I still helped him with his Greek in the mornings, but most of the time I was thinking. I know. Shocker, right?

I once caught myself saying, "Quest…Poseidon?…Dirty rotten…Got to make a plan…"

One day I woke up and Grover trotted inside my cabin looking worried.

"Grover, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Chiron wants to see you in the Big House," he replied.

"Okay," I said slowly. "What for?"

"He just said to go meet him there," he replied.

I got up, got dressed, and sprinted towards the Big House, invisibly of course.

By the time I caught up with Grover and Percy, they were already talking with Chiron.

Chiron smiled at Percy, but he looked tired and strained. "Sit, Percy, please. And Grover."

They did.

Chiron laid his cards on the table.

"Tell me, Percy," he said. "What did you make of the hellhound?"

"It scared me," he admitted. "If you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead."

"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done."

"Done…with what?"

"You're quest, of course. Will you accept it?" _Please say yes! Please say yes! Please say yes!_

He glanced at Grover, who was crossing his fingers, possibly going through the '_Please say yes!_' phase I was going through a couple seconds ago.

"Um, sir." he said, "you haven't told me what it is yet."

Chiron grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."

Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. As far as I could see, the sky and the sea were boiling together.

"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy said. "They're fighting over something valuable… something that was stolen, aren't they?"

Chiron and Grover exchanged looks.

Chiron sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"

"The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth, and she'd overheard something about a theft. And… I've also been having these dreams."

"I knew it," Grover said.

"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.

"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"

"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt" _What?!_

He laughed nervously. "A _what_?"

"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives." _Wow._

"Oh."

"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron said, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."

"And it's missing?"

"Stolen," Chiron said.

"By who?"

"By_ whom_," Chiron corrected. Ah, good old Chiron. "By you."

His mouth fell open.

"At least" -Chiron held up a hand- "that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: 'Mother Rhea always liked you best,' 'Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' et cetera. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's symbol of power directly-the is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."

"But I didn't -"

"Patience and listen, child," Chiron said. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could have easily have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."

"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"

Chiron and Grover and I glanced nervously at the sky.

"Er, Percy…?" Grover said. "We don't use the _c_-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."

"Perhaps _paranoid_," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam…"

"Something about a golden net?" he guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods…they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"

"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along-the proverbial last straw."

"But I'm just a kid!"

"Percy," Grover cut in, "if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you…Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"

"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon--my dad--he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?"

Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. Nut the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera or Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Percy?"

"Bad?" he guessed.

"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water-balloon fight."

"Bad," he repeated.

"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."

It started to rain.

"So I have to find the stupid bolt," Percy said. "And return it to Zeus."

"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"

"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?"

"I believe I know." Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago…well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."

"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?"

"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."

He swallowed. "Good reason."

"You agree then?"

Percy looked at Grover, who nodded encouragingly.

"All right," he said. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."

"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron said. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."

**_The climbing of _**_**four flights of stairs, waiting, the baking of a pie, and a prophecy later:**_

"Well?" Chiron asked Percy.

He slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen."

Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"

"What did the Oracle say _exactly_?" Chiron pressed. "This is important."

"She…she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned."

"I knew it," Grover said.

Chiron didn't look satisfied. "Anything else?"

"No," he said. "That's about it."

He studied his face. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."

Obviously he was holding something back, something bad.

"Okay," Percy said. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"

"Ah, think, Percy." Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"

"Somebody else who wants to take over?" he said.

"Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have broken."

"Hades."

Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."

A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"

"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded him. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord: Hades."

"Yes, but--but Hades hates _all_ heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he found out Percy is a son of Poseidon…"

"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before he can take his quest."

"Great," Percy muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."

"But a quest to…" Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."

"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."

Grover was trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips. _Typical Grover_, I thought.

"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."

"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron said. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades-and I imagine Poseidon does-they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods operate through humans?"

"You're saying I'm being used."

"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."

He looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"

"I've had my suspicions. As I said…I've spoken to the Oracle, too."

"So let me get this straight," Percy said. "I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."

"Check," Chiron said.

"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."

"Check."

"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."

"That's about right."

He looked at Grover, who gulped down the ace of hearts.

"Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" he asked weakly.

"You don't have to go," he told him. "I can't ask that of you."

"Oh…" He shifted his hooves. "No…it's just that satyrs and underground places…well…"

He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminum bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If… if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."

"All the way, G-man." he turned to Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."

"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."

"Where?"

Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."

"Oh," I said. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane-"

"No!" Grover shrieked. "Percy, what are you thinking? Have you ever been on a plane in your life?"

He shook his head.

"Percy, think," Chiron said. "You are the son of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you in an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again alive."

Overhead, lightning crackled. Thunder boomed.

"Okay," Percy said. "So, I'll travel overland."

"That's right," Chiron said. "Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept her help."

"Gee," Percy said. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"

I took off my Yankees cap, becoming visible, then stuck it in my back pocket.

"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, seaweed brain," I said. "Athena is no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."

"If you do say so yourself," he said. "I suppose you have a plan wise girl?"

I felt myself blushing. "Do you want my help or not?"

"A trio," he said. "That'll work."

"Excellent," Chiron said. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."

Lightning flashed. Rain poured down on the meadows.

"No time to waste," Chiron said. "I think you should all get packing."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or its characters. **

* * *

It didn't take me long to pack. I decided I would take a change of clothes, my Yankees cap, my celestial bronze knife, and a book on famous classical architecture for when I got bored.

Chiron gave Percy and I each a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if we were seriously hurt.

Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained you could see his horns. In his backpack he has scrap metal and apples for him to snack on. And finally, in his pocket was a set of reed pipes.

Percy just had a set of spare clothes and a toothbrush, along with some ambrosia and nectar, in his backpack.

We waved good-bye to the other campers, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be my best friend, Thalia, daughter of Zeus.

Chiron was waiting for us in his wheelchair. Next to him stood the camp's head of security, Argus.

"This is Argus," Chiron told Percy. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."

I heard footsteps behind us.

Luke came running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball sneakers.

"Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you."

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told Percy. "And I thought…um, maybe you could use these."

He handed Percy the sneakers, which looked pretty normal.

Luke said, _"Maia!"_

White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling Percy so much, he dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared.

"Awesome!" Grover said.

Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days…" his expression turned sad.

"Hey, man," Percy said. "Thanks."

"Listen, Percy…" Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just…kill some monsters for me, okay?"

They shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns,then he gave a good-bye hug to me.

After Luke was gone, Percy told me, "You're hyperventilating."

"Am not."

"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?"

"Oh…why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?"

I stomped down the other side of the hill, where a white SUV waited on the shoulder of the road. Argus followed me, jiggling his car keys.

Soon after, Grover came by, looking like a possessed lawn mower coming towards the van.

Percy, finally, caught up with us and got in the van.

A couple minutes later Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island.

"So far so good," Percy told me. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

I'm pretty sure I looked just as irritated as I felt. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."

"Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

"Could've fooled me."

I folded my cap of invisibility. "Look…we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?"

I sighed. _This is going to be a long quest_, I thought. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is _hugely _disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives."

"Oh, forget it."

"Now, if she'd invented pizza--_that_ I could understand."

"I said, forget it!"

Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain.

Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side.

Argus unloaded our bags, made sure we got our bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Grover started talking with Percy while I stayed back and followed them.

The rain kept coming down.

We got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. I was unbelievable! I could bounce the apple off my knee, my elbow, my shoulder, whatever. Percy wasn't too bad himself.

The game ended when Percy tossed the apple toward Grover and it got too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappeared--core, stem, and all.

Grover blushed. He tried to apologize, but Percy and I were to busy cracking up.

Finally the bus came. As we stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air like he smelled his favorite food--enchiladas.

"What is it?" Percy asked.

"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."

But I could tell it wasn't nothing.

I was relieved when we finally got onboard and found seats together in the back of the bus. We stowed our backpacks. I kept slapping my Yankees cap nervously against my thigh.

"Percy." I said as the last passengers got on.

I recognized them easily as the Kindly Ones. I could tell Percy recognized them to because he scrunched down in his seat.

They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. it was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves.

The bus pulled out of the station, and we headed through the slick streets of Manhattan.

"She didn't stay dead long," Percy said. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're _lucky_," I said. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpered. _"Di immortales!"_

"It's okay," I said. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?" I suggested.

There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped much.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," I reminded him. "Their brains only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

They probably would, but the Mist could manipulate it. "It's hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof…?"

We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

The first Fury got up. In a flat voice she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the restroom."

"So do I," said the second Fury.

"So do I," said the third Fury.

They all started coming toward the aisle. _They probably came here for Percy_…

"I've got it," I said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys--"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," I said. "You're a son of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."

"I can't just leave you."

"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"

He took the Yankees cap and put it on.

The Furies continued coming toward us.

One stopped, sniffing, and looked straight at an empty row.

_Percy's probably there._

Apparently she didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept going.

We were almost through the Lincoln Tunnel now.

The Furies surrounded us, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?" It?

"He's not here!" I yelled. "He's gone!"

The Furies raised there whips.

I drew my bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it.

Suddenly, the bus jerked to the left. Everybody howled as they were thrown to the right.

"Hey!" the driver yelled. "Hey--whoa!"

Wait a minute. If the bus driver didn't do that, then who did? Percy.

We careened out of the Lincoln Tunnel and back into the rainstorm.

Somehow, the driver found an exit. We shot off the highway, through half a dozen traffic lights, and ended up barreling down one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York.

Then, somebody hit the emergency brake.

The bus wailed, spun a full circle on the wet asphalt, and crashed into the trees. The emergency lights came on. The door flew open. The bus driver was the first one out, the passengers yelling as they stampeded after him.

The Furies regained their balance. They lashed whips at me while I waved my knife and yelled in Ancient Greek, telling them to back off. Grover threw tin cans.

Percy, being the idiot he is, took off the invisible hat.

"Hey!" he yelled.

The Furies turned. The middle one stalked up the aisle while her two sisters hopped on top of the seats on either side of her and crawled toward him.

"Perseus Jackson," she said. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."

"I liked you better as a math teacher," he told her.

She growled.

Grover and I moved up behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening.

Percy took a ballpoint pen out of his pocket and uncapped it. It elongated into a shimmering double-edge sword.

The Furies hesitated.

"Submit now," she hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment."

"Nice try," he told her.

"Percy, look out!" I shouted.

The Fury lashed her whip around his sword hand while the Furies on either side lunged at him.

He hit the Fury on the left with the sword's hilt, sending her toppling back into a seat. He turned and sliced the one on the right. As soon as the blade connected with her neck, she screamed and exploded into dust. I got the middle one in a wrestler's hold and yanked her backward while Grover ripped the whip out of her hands.

"Ow!" he yelled. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"

The Fury Percy hilt-slammed came at him again, talons ready, but he swung his sword and she exploded into dust.

The one I had was trying to get me off her back. She kicked, clawed, hissed and bit, but I held on while Grover got her legs tied up in her own whip. Finally we both shoved her backward into the aisle. She tried to get up, but she didn't have room to flap her wings, so she kept falling down.

"Zeus will destroy you!" she promised. "Hades will have your soul!"

"_Braccas meas vescimini!" _Percy yelled.

Eat my pants?

Thunder shook the bus.

"Get out!" I yelled at Percy. "Now!"

We rushed outside and found the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling, "We're going to die!"

"Our bags!" Grover realized. "We left our--"

_BOOOOOM!_

The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof, but an angry wail from inside told me the Fury was not yet dead.

"Run!" I said. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"

We plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind us, and nothing but darkness ahead.


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own PJO or its characters.**

**Sorry it took so long to update. My internet hates me. ANYWAY, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

So there we were, Percy and Grover and I, walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind us, and the smell of the Hudson reeking in our noses.

Grover was shivering and braying, his big goat eyes turned slit-pupiled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."

It looked like Percy was still in shock, too. But I kept pulling them along, saying: "Come on! The farther away we get, the better."

"All our money was back there," he reminded me. "Our food and clothes. Everything."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight-"

"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"

"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine."

"Sliced like sandwich bread," Grover put in, "but fine."

"Shut up, goat boy," I said.

Grover brayed mournfully. "Tin cans…a perfectly good bag of tin cans."

We sloshed across mushy ground, through twisted trees that smelled nasty.

After a few minutes, I fell into line next to Percy. "Look, I…" My voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."

"We're a team, right?"

I kept quiet for a few more steps. "It's just that if you died…aside from the fact that it would suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world."

The thunderstorm had finally let up. The city glow faded behind us, leaving us in almost total darkness.

"You haven't left Camp Half-blood since you were seven?" Percy asked, breaking the silence.

"No…only short field trips. My dad-"

"The history professor."

"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood _is _my home." I was rushing my words out now. "At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not."

"You're pretty good with that knife," Percy said.

"You think so?"

"Anybody who can piggyback-ride a Fury is okay by me."

I could feel myself smiling.

"You know," I said, "maybe I should tell you…Something funny back on the bus…"

Whatever I was going to say was interrupted by a shrill_ toot~toot~toot_.

"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried. "If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!"

He puffed out a few notes that sounded suspiciously like Hilary Duff.

After a mile or so of Percy tripping and cursing, I started to see light up ahead: the colors of a neon sign. I could smell food. Fried, greasy food.

We kept walking until we saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie, and one open business, which was the source of the neon light.

The neon sign above the gate was impossible for me to read.

To me, it looked like: _ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROUIM._

"What the heck does that say?" Percy asked.

"I don't know," I replied.

Grover translated: "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."

Percy crossed the street.

"Hey…" Grover warned.

"The lights are on inside," I said. "Maybe it's open."

"Snack bar," Percy said wistfully.

"Snack bar," I agreed.

"Are you two crazy?" Grover said. "This place is weird."

We ignored him.

The front lot was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes, which gave Grover the creeps.

"_Bla~ha~ha!" _he bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"

We stopped at the warehouse door.

"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."

"Your nose is clogged up from the Furies," I told him. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?"

"Meat!" he said scornfully. "I'm a vegetarian."

"You eat cheese enchiladas and aluminum cans," Percy said.

"Those are vegetables. Come on. Let's leave. These statues are…looking at me." Typical Grover.

Then the door creaked open, and standing in front of us was a tall woman dressed in a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled.

She said, "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"

"They're…um…" I started to say.

"We're orphans," Percy said.

"Orphans? But my dears! Surely not!" she said.

"We got separated from our caravan. Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?" Circus caravan? Really, Percy? A circus caravan?

"Oh, my dears," she said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em." No, really? I thought you were Santa Claus. " Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."

We thanked her and went inside.

"Circus caravan?" I muttered to Percy.

"Always have a strategy, right?"

"Your head is full of kelp."

The warehouse was filled with statues, statues, and last, but not least, statues. Oh! Did I already mention statues?

We kept following Aunty Em to the back of the warehouse. It had a fast-food counter with a grill, a sods fountain, a pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser.

"Please sit down," Aunty Em said.

"Awesome," Percy said.

"Um," Grover said reluctantly, "we don't have any money, ma'am."

Before a could jab him in the ribs, Aunty Em said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat for such nice orphans."

"Thank you, ma'am," I said.

Aunty Em stiffened, as if I did something wrong, which I found a little weird.

"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. _Wait! How did she know my name? I don't remember anybody mentioning my name, and I'm known for my memory._ "You have such beautiful gray eyes, child."

She left to go towards the snack counter. Before we knew it, she'd brought us plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes, and XXL servings of French fries.

While Percy attacked his burger, I was slurping my shake.

Grover picked at his fries, and eyed the tray's waxed paper liner, as if he was going to go after that instead, but he looked too nervous to eat.

"What's that hissing noise?" he asked.

I listened, but didn't hear anything, so I shook my head.

"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."

"I take vitamins. For my ears."

"That's admirable," she said. "But please, relax."

It was a little unsettling, having someone stare at me while I was still eating.

"So you sell gnomes," Percy said, trying to sound interested.

"Oh, yes," Aunty Em said. "And animals. And people. Anything for the garden. Custom orders. Statuary is very popular you know."

"A lot of business on this road?"

"Not so much, no. since the highway was built…most cars, they do not go this way now. I must cherish every customer I get."

I saw Percy turn around to look at the statue behind him.

"Ah," Aunty Em said sadly. "You notice some of my creations do not turn out well. They are marred. They do not sell. The face is the hardest to get right. Always the face."

"You make these statues yourself?" Percy asked.

"Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on, and Aunty Em is alone. I have only my statues. This is why I make them, you see. They are my company."

_Wait a minute! Two sisters?_

I felt myself freeze. I sat forward and said, "Two sisters?"

"It's a terrible story. Not one for children, really. You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a…a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident. My sisters stayed by me. They shared my bad fortune as long as they could, but eventually they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived, but at a price. Such a price."

Wait, that sounds just like the story of what happened to…

"Percy?" I said, trying to get his attention. "Maybe we should go. I mean, the ringmaster will be waiting."

"Such beautiful gray eyes," Aunty Em told me again. "My, yes, it has been a long time since I've seen gray eyes like those."

She reached out as if to stroke my cheek, but I stood up.

"We really should go."

"Yes!" Grover said, a little too eager to leave. "The ring master is waiting! Right!"

"Please, dears. I so rarely get to be with children. Before you go, won't you at least sit for a pose?"

"A pose?" I asked warily.

"A photograph. I will use it to model a new statue set. Children are so popular, you see. Everyone loves children."

"I don't think we can, ma'am. Come on Percy-"

"Sure we can," he said. "It's just a photo, Annabeth. What's the harm?"

_Well…_

"Yes, Annabeth," the woman said, interrupting my thoughts. "No harm."

I really didn't like the idea, but I allowed myself to follow her.

She directed us to a park bench next to the stone satyr. "Now," she said, "I'll just position you correctly. The young girl in the middle, I think, and the two young gentlemen on either side."

"Not much light for a photo," Percy remarked.

"Oh, enough," Aunty Em said. "Enough for us to see each other, yes?"

"Where's your camera?" Grover asked, making an excellent point.

Aunty Em took a step back. "Now, the face is the most difficult. Can you smile for me please, everyone? A large smile?"

"That sure does look like Uncle Ferdinand," Grover mumbled.

"Grover, look this way, dear," Aunty Em said.

She still had no camera in her hands.

"Percy-" I said.

"I will just be a moment," she said, "You know, I can't see you well in this cursed veil…."

_This is beginning to sound a lot like what happened to…_Medusa.

"Percy, something's wrong," I insisted.

"Wrong? Not at all, dear. I have such noble company tonight. What could be wrong?" Aunty Em said.

"That _is _Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover gasped.

Well…that confirmed my suspicions.

"Look away from her!" I shouted. I yanked out my Yankees cap and vanished. I pushed Grover and Percy both off the bench.

Grover got the hint and scurried off, but Seaweed Brain didn't.

I saw Percy starting to look up, but before he could go any higher I screamed, "No! Don't!"

"Run!" Grover bleated. I heard him racing across the gravel yelling, _"Maia!" _to kick start his flying sneakers.

"Such a pity to destroy a handsome face," Medusa said. "Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look up."

Obviously Percy knew who Aunty Em really was, because realization struck is face. Or at least I think it did. It's hard to tell from this position.

"The Gray-Eyed One did this to me, Percy," Medusa said obviously talking about my mother. "Annabeth's mother," See, I told you so, "the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this."

"Don't listen to her!" I shouted. "Run, Percy!"

"Silence!" Medusa snarled. "You see why I must destroy the girl, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust," Wonderful. "But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer."

"No," he muttered.

"Do you really want to help the gods?" Medusa asked. "Do you understand what awaits you on this foolish quest, Percy? What will happen if you reach the underworld? Do not be a pawn of the Olympians my dear. You would be better off as a statue. Less pain. Less pain."

"Percy!" There was Grover, flying in the night sky with a tree branch the size of a baseball bat. "Duck!"

"Duck!" he yelled again. "I'll get her!"

Percy dove to one side.

_Thwack!_

Medusa roared with rage.

"You miserable satyr," she snarled. "I'll add you to my collection!"

"That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled back.

Grover swooped down for another pass.

_Ker~whack! _

"Arrgh!" Medusa yelled.

I went over toward Percy.

"Percy!" I said.

He jumped so high his feet nearly cleared a garden gnome. "Jeez! Don't do that!"

I took off my Yankees cap. "You have to cut her head off."

"What? Are you crazy? Let's get out of here."

"Medusa is a menace. She's evil. I'd kill her myself, but…" I swallowed. "But you've got the better weapon. Besides, I'd never get close to her. She'd slice me to bits because of my mother. You-you've got a chance."

"What? I can't-"

"Look, do you want her turning more innocent people into statues?"

I pointed to a random statue to prove my point.

I grabbed a green gazing ball from a nearby pedestal. "A polished shield would be better." I studied the sphere critically. "The convexity will cause some distortion. The reflection's size should be off by a factor of-"

"Would you speak English?" "I _am_!" I tossed him the glass ball. "Just look at her in the glass. _Never_ look at her directly."

"Hey, guys!" Grover yelled. "I think she's unconscious!"

"_Roooaaarrr_!"

"Maybe not," Grover corrected.

"Hurry," I told Percy. "Grover's got a great nose, but he'll eventually crash."

He took out Riptide and uncapped it.

I heard Grover crash into statue with a painful "Ummphh!"

I heard Percy yell, "Hey!"

"You wouldn't harm an old woman, Percy," she crooned. "I know you wouldn't."

"Percy, don't listen to her!" Grover moaned.

"Too late," Medusa cackled.

There was a sickening _shlock!_, then a hiss like wind rushing out of a cavern-the sound of a monster disintegrating.

I heard something fall to the ground.

"Oh, yuck," Grover said. "Mega-yuck."

I walked over to Percy, my eyes fixed on the sky. I was holding Medusa's black veil.

"Don't move," I told Percy.

Very, very carefully, without looking down, I knelt and draped the monster's head in black cloth, then picked it up.

"Are you okay?" I asked Percy, my voice trembling.

"Yeah," he decided, though he really didn't look okay. "Why didn't…why didn't the head evaporate?"

"Once you sever it, it becomes a spoil of war," I said. "Same as your minotaur horn. But don't unwrap the head. It can still petrify you."

Grover moaned as he climbed down from the grizzly statue. He had a big welt on his forehead. His green rasta cap hung from one of his little goat horns, and his fake feet had been knocked off his hooves. The magic sneakers were flying aimlessly around his head.

"The Red Baron," Percy said. "Good job, man."

He managed a bashful grin. "That really was _not _fun, though. Well, the hitting-her-with-a-stick part, that was fun. But crashing into a concrete bear? _Not_ fun."

He snatched his shoes out of the air. Percy recapped his sword. Together, the three of us stumbled back to the warehouse.

We found some old plastic grocery bags behind the snack counter and double-wrapped Medusa's head. We plopped it on the table where we'd eaten dinner and sat around it, too exhausted to speak.

"So we have Athena to thank for this monster?" Percy said breaking the silence.

I flashed him an irritated look. "Your dad, actually. Don't you remember? Medusa was Poseidon's girlfriend. They decided to meet in my mother's temple. That's why Athena turned her into a monster. Medusa and her two sisters who had helped her get into the temple, they became the three gorgons. That's why Medusa wanted to slice me up, but she wanted to preserve you as a nice statue. She's still sweet on your dad. You probably reminded her of him."

Percy's face turned red. "Oh, so now it's _my_ fault we met Medusa."

I straightened. In a bad imitation of his voice, I said: '"It's just a photo, Annabeth. What's the harm?"'

"Forget it," Percy said. "You're impossible."

"You're insufferable."

"You're-"

"Hey!" Grover interrupted. "You two are giving me a migraine, and satyrs don't even _get_ migraines. What are we going to do with the head?"

We all stared at the thing. One little snake was hanging out of a hole in the plastic.

Percy got up. "I'll be back."

"Percy," I called after him. "What are you-"

A couple seconds later he came back with a box, twenty dollars, a couple of drachmas, and a couple packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express. He packed up Medusa's head and filled out a delivery slip:

The Gods

Mount Olympus

600th Floor,

Empire State Building

New York, NY

With best wishes,

PERCY JACKSON

"They're not going to like that," Grover warned. "They'll think you're impertinent."

Percy poured some golden drachmas in the pouch. As soon as he closed it, there was a sound like a cash register. The package floated off the table and disappeared with a _pop!_

"I _am_ impertinent," Percy said.

He looked at me, as if he was daring me to criticize.

I didn't. "Come on," I muttered. "We need a new plan."


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: Do I look like Rick Riordan? Wait! Don't answer that!**

**WARNING: Spoilers 4 Battle of the Labyrinth. ;) Definite Percabeth! ;)**

* * *

We were pretty miserable that night.

We camped out in the woods, a hundred yards from the main road, in a marshy clearing that was home to flattened soda cans and fast-food wrappers. I'm pretty sure Grover was about to have a heart attack.

We'd taken some food and blankets from Aunty Em's, but we didn't dare light a fire to try and dry are damp clothes.

We decided to sleep in shifts. Percy volunteered to take first watch. Fine by me. I curled up on the blankets and was asleep as soon as my head hit the ground.

For once, I actually had a dreamless sleep. NOT!

_Percy and I were deep inside Mt. Saint Helens._

_We peeked over the cauldron. In the center of the platform stood four sea demons, but these were fully grown, at least eight feet tall. Their black skin glistened in the firelight as they worked, sparks flying as they took turns hammering on a long piece of glowing hot metal._

"_The blade is almost complete," one said. "It needs another cooling in blood to fuse the metals."_

"_Aye," a second said. "It shall be even sharper than before."_

"_What is that?" Percy whispered._

_I shook my head. "They keep talking about fusing metals. I wonder-"_

"_They were talking about the greatest Titan weapon," Percy said. "And they…they said they made my father's trident."_

"_The telekhines betrayed the gods," I said. "They were practicing dark magic. I don't know what, exactly, but Zeus banished them to Tartarus."_

"_With Kronos."_

_I nodded. "We have to get out-"_

_No sooner had I said that than the door to the classroom exploded and young telekhines came pouring out. They stumbled over each other, trying to figure out which way to charge._

"_Put your cap back on," Percy said. "Get out!"_

"_What?" I shrieked. "No! I'm not leaving you."_

"_I've got a plan. I'll distract them. You can use the metal spider-maybe it'll lead you back to Hephaestus. You have to tell him what's going on."_

"_But you'll be killed!"_

"_I'll be fine. Besides, we've got no choice."_

_I glared at him like I was going to punch him. And then I did something that even surprised me. I kissed him._

"_Be careful, Seaweed Brain." I put on my hat and vanished._

_I left with tears running down my face. All was quiet, up until the part were Mt. Saint Helens exploded._

I woke up drenched in sweat.

"Nightmare?" Grover asked.

I just nodded trying to slow my heart beat down.

"What's for breakfast?" he asked.

"Here," I said handing him a bag of chips.

"Uh, thanks?" he said. Then I heard a growl. I looked around and noticed a pink poodle on Grover's lap.

"Oh, right," Grover said. "Annabeth, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Annabeth."

"Hello," I said grabbing a bag of chips.

"Why don't you go wake Percy up," Grover said.

"Whatever," I said walking over towards Percy.

I was about to wake him when I heard him talk in his sleep.

"I won't help you," he mumbled.

Help who?

Okay I gave up waiting, so I decided to shake him. After a couple minutes he woke up.

"Well," I said, "the zombie lives."

He was sill trembling from his dream. "How long was I asleep?"

"Long enough for me to cook breakfast," I said tossing him a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips from Aunty Em's. "And Grover went exploring. Look he found a friend."

Grover was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with Gladiola on his lap.

The poodle yapped at Percy suspiciously. Grover said, "No he's not."

He blinked. "Are you…talking to that thing?"

The poodle growled.

"This _thing_," Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."

"You can talk to animals?"

Grover ignored the question. "Percy, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy."

"I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle," he said. "Forget it."

"Percy," I said. "I said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."

The poodle growled.

He said hello to the poodle.

Grover explained that he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conservation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.

"How does Gladiola know about the reward?" Percy asked.

"He read the signs," Grover said. "Duh."

"Of course," Percy said. "Silly me."

"So we turn in Gladiola," I said in my best strategy voice," we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."

"Not another bus," Percy said warily.

"No," I agreed.

I pointed downhill, toward the tracks. "There's an Amtrack station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I (sadly) do not own PJO.**

We spent two days on the Amtrak train, heading west through hills, over rivers, past amber waves of grain.

Most of the time I thought about the dream I had.

Suddenly a horrible thought occurred to me: I kissed Seaweed Brain in my dream. Nope. Not going to happen. Nu-uh. No. Never. Never am I going to kiss Percy. NEVER.

Speaking of Percy, he was trying to keep a low profile because his name and picture were splattered over the front pages of several East Coast newspapers.

"Don't worry," I told him. "Mortal police could never find us." However, I wasn't so sure. Not that I'd tell him that.

The rest of the day Percy either was pacing the length of the train or looking out the windows. I just read my architecture book. And Grover was…doing whatever it is he does.

Our reward money for returning Gladiola the poodle had only been enough to purchase tickets as far as Denver. We couldn't get berths in the sleeper car, so we dozed in our seats.

Grover kept snoring and bleating and waking me up. Once, he shuffled around and his fake foot fell off. Percy and I had to stick it back on before any of the other passengers noticed.

"So," I asked Percy, once we'd gotten Grover's sneaker readjusted. "Who wants your help?"

"What do you mean?"

"When you were asleep just now, you mumbled, 'I won't help you.' who were you dreaming about?"

It looked like he was reluctant at first, but he finally told me.

"That doesn't sound like Hades. He always appears on a black throne, and he never laughs."

"He offered my mother in trade. Who else could do that?"

"I guess…if he meant, 'Help me rise from the Underworld.' if he wants war with the Olympians. But why ask you to bring him the master bolt if he already has it?"

He shook his head.

I readjusted Grover's cap so it covered his horns. "Percy, you can't barter with Hades. You know that, right? He's deceitful, heartless, and greedy. I don't care if his Kindly Ones weren't as aggressive this time-"

"This time?" he asked. "You mean you've run into them before?"

My hand crept up to my necklace. "Let's just say I've got no love for the Lord of the Dead. You can't be tempted to make a deal for your mom."

"What would you do if it was your dad?"

"That's easy," I said. "I'd leave him there to rot."

"You're not serious?"

I turned my attention to Percy. "My dad's resented me since the day I was born, Percy," I said. "He never wanted a baby. When he got me, he asked Athena to take me back and raise me on Olympus because he was too busy with his work. She wasn't happy about that. She told him heroes had to be raised by their mortal parent."

"But how…I mean, I guess you weren't born in a hospital…"

"I appeared on my father's doorstep, in a golden cradle, carried down from Olympus by Zephyr the West Wind. You'd think my dad would remember that as a miracle, right? Like, maybe he'd take some digital photos or something. But he always talked about my arrival as if it were the most inconvenient thing that had ever happened to him. When I was five he got married and totally forgot about Athena. He got a 'regular' mortal wife, and had two 'regular' mortal kids, and tried to pretend I didn't even exist."

"My mom married a really awful guy," Percy told me. "Grover said she did it to protect me, to hide me in the scent of a human family. Maybe that's what your dad was thinking."

"He doesn't care about me," I said. "His wife-my step mom-treated me like a freak. She wouldn't let me play with her children. My dad went along with her. Whenever something dangerous happened-you know, something with monsters-they would both look at me resentfully, like, 'How dare you put our family at risk.' Finally, I took the hint. I wasn't wanted. I ran away."

"How old were you?"

"Same age as when I started camp. Seven."

"But…you couldn't have gotten all the way to Half-Blood Hill by yourself."

"Not alone, no. Athena watched over me, guided me toward help. I made a couple of unexpected friends who took care of me, for a short time, anyway."

_Two half-bloods crouched in the shadows-a boy about fourteen and a girl about twelve._

_The boy carried a bronze knife. The girl had her spear and shield of terror, Aegis. They both looked hungry and lean, with wild animal eyes, like they were used to being attacked._

"_Are you sure?" the girl asked._

_The boy nodded. "Something down here. I sense it."_

_A rumble echoed from the alley, like someone had banged on a sheet of metal. The half-bloods crept forward._

_Old crates were stacked on a loading dock. They approached with their weapons ready. A curtain of corrugated tin quivered as if something was behind it._

_The girl took a glance at the boy. He counted silently: _One, two, three!_ He ripped away the tin, and a little girl flew at him with a hammer._

"_Whoa!" said the boy._

_The girl had tangled blond hair and was wearing flannel pajamas._

_He grabbed her wrist, and the hammer skittered across the cement._

_The little girl fought and kicked. "No more monsters! Go away!"_

"_It's okay!" he struggled to hold her. "Thalia, put your shield up. You're scaring her."_

_She tapped Aegis and it shrank into a silver bracelet. "Hey, it's all right," she said. "We're not going to hurt you. I'm Thalia. This is Luke."_

"_Monsters!"_

"_No," Luke promised. "But we know all about monsters. We fight them too."_

_Slowly the girl stopped kicking. She studied Luke and Thalia with large intelligent gray eyes._

"_You're like me?" she said suspiciously._

"_Yeah," Luke said "We're…well, it's hard to explain, but we're monster fighters. Where's your family?"_

"_My family hates me," the girl said. "They don't want me. I ran away."_

_Thalia and Luke locked eyes. They've had their fair share of family issues too._

"_What's your name, kiddo?" Thalia asked._

"_Annabeth."_

_Luke smiled. "Nice name. I tell you what, Annabeth-you're pretty fierce. We could use a fighter like you."_

_Annabeth's eyes grew wider. "You could?"_

"_Oh, yeah." Luke turned his knife and offered her the handle. "How'd you like a real monster-slaying weapon? This is Celestial bronze. Works a lot better than your hammer."_

_Annabeth gripped the hilt._

"_Knives are only for the bravest and quickest fighters," Luke explained. "They don't have the reach or power of a sword, but they're easy to conceal and they can find weak spots in your enemy's armor. It takes a clever warrior to use a knife. I have a feeling you're pretty clever."_

_Annabeth stared at him in adoration. "I am!"_

_Thalia grinned. "We'd better get going, Annabeth. We have a safe house on the James River. We'll get you some clothes and food."_

"_You're…you're not going to take me back to my family?" she said. "Promise?"_

_Luke put his hand on her shoulder. "You're part of _our_ family now. And I promise I won't let anything hurt you. I'm _not _going to fail you like our families did us. Deal?"_

"_Deal!" Annabeth said happily._

"_Now, come on," Thalia said. "We can't stay put for long!"_

Toward the end of our second day on the train, June 13, eight days before our deadline, we passed through some golden hills and over the Mississippi River into St. Louis.

I turned so I was facing the Gateway Arch.

"I want to do that," I sighed.

"What?" Percy asked.

"Build something like that. You ever see the Parthenon, Percy?"

"Only in pictures."

"Someday, I'm going to see it in person. I'm going to build the greatest monument to the gods, ever. Something that'll last a thousand years."

Percy laughed. "You? An architect?"

I could feel my cheeks flush. "Yes, an architect. Athena expects her children to create things, not just tear them down, like a certain god of earthquakes I could mention."

He watched the churning brown water of the Mississippi below. I suddenly felt guilty about what I said.

"Sorry," I said. "That was mean."

"Can't we work together a little?" he pleaded. "I mean, didn't Athena and Poseidon ever cooperate?"

I had to think about it. "I guess…the chariot," I said tentatively. "My mom invented it, but Poseidon created horses out of the crests of the waves. So they had to work together to make it complete."

"Then we can cooperate, too. Right?"

"I suppose," I said after watching the Arch disappear behind a hotel.

We pulled into the Amtrak station downtown. The intercom told us we'd have a three-hour layover before departing for Denver.

Grover stretched. Before he was even fully awake he said, "Food."

"Come on, goat boy," I said. "Sightseeing."

"Sightseeing?"

"The Gateway Arch," I said. "This may be my only chance to ride it to the top. Are you coming or not?"

Grover and Percy exchanged looks.

Grover shrugged. "As long as there's a snack bar without monsters."

The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long.

"Guys," Percy said. "You know the gods' symbols of power?"

I had been in the middle of reading about the construction equipment used to build the Arch, but I looked over. "Yeah?"

"Well Hade-"

Grover cleared his throat. "We're in a public place…. You mean are friend downstairs?"

"Um, right," he said. "Our friend _way_ downstairs. Doesn't he have a hat like Annabeth's?"

"You mean the Helm of Darkness," I said. "Yeah, that's his symbol of power. I saw it next to his seat during the winter council meeting."

"He was there?" he asked.

I nodded. "It's the only time he's allowed to visit Olympus-the darkest day of the year. But his helm is a lot more powerful than my invisibility hat, if what I've learned is true…."

"It allows him to become darkness," Grover confirmed. "He can melt into shadow or pass through walls. He can't be touched, seen, or heard. And he can radiate fear so intense it can drive you insane or stop your heart. Why do you think all rational creatures fear the dark?"

"But then…how do we know he's not here right now, watching us?" Percy asked.

Grover and I exchanged glances.

"We don't," Grover said.

"Thanks, that makes me feel a lot better," I said. "Got any blue jelly beans left?"

We got shoehorned into the car with this lady and her dog, a Chihuahua with a rhinestone collar.

"No parents?" the lady asked us.

"They're below," I said. "Scared of heights."

"Oh, the poor darlings."

The Chihuahua growled. The woman said, "Now, now, sonny. Behave." The dog had beady eyes like its owner, intelligent and vicious.

Percy said, "Sonny. Is that his name?"

"No," the lady told him.

She smiled, as if that cleared everything up.

After awhile Percy steered Grover and me toward the exit, loaded us in, and was about to get in himself when he realized there were already two other tourists inside. No room for him.

The park ranger said, "Next car, sir."

"We'll get out," I said. "We'll wait with you."

"Naw, it's okay. I'll see you guys at the bottom."

I could tell both Grover and I looked nervous, but we let the elevator door close.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Grover asked.

"I don't know, Grover," I replied. "I don't know.

We waited for the next elevator to come and when it finally did…there was no Percy.


	11. Chapter 11

**Guess what! I finally updated! Whoooo!**

**Disclaimer: I am a GIRL! So, no I'm not Rick Riordan.**

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"Where do you think he is?" Grover asked again.

"He's got to be around here somewhere," I told him.

We were still looking for him when we heard a news reporter say, "Probably not a terrorist attack, we're told, but it's still very early in the investigation. The damage, as you can see, is very serious. We're trying to get to some of the survivors, to question them about eyewitness reports of someone falling from the Arch."

_Let me guess, Percy just somehow blowtorched a national monument. Thus, falling out of the hole and into the Mississippi River. Wait! If he fell, then he should show up near the Mississippi._

I voiced my thoughts to Grover and started toward the river.

"…an adolescent boy," another reporter said as we past by. "Channel Five has learned that surveillance cameras show an adolescent boy going wild on the observation deck, somehow setting off this freak explosion. Hard to believe, John, but that's what we're hearing. Again, no confirmed fatalities…"

I swear I'm gonna murder that kid when I find him.

I was knocked out of my thoughts by Grover bleated, "Perrr-cy!"

He turned and got tackled by Grover's bear hug. "We thought you'd gone to Hades the hard way!"

"We can't leave you alone for five minutes! What happened?" I said trying my best to sound angry.

"I sort of fell."

"Percy! Six hundred and thirty feet?"

Behind us, a cop shouted, "Gangway!" The crowd parted, and a couple of paramedics hustled out rolling a woman on a stretcher. I recognized her immediately as the mother of the little boy who'd been on the observation deck. She was saying, "And then this huge dog, this huge fire-breathing Chihuahua-"

"Okay, ma'am," the paramedic said, "Just calm down. Your family is fine. The medication is starting to kick in."

"I'm not crazy!" This boy jumped out of the hole and the monster disappeared." Then she saw us. "There he is! That's the boy!"

Percy turned quickly and pulled Grover and me after him. We disappeared into the crowd.

"What's going on?" I demanded. "Was she talking about the Chihuahua on the elevator?"

He told us the whole story of the Chimera, Echidna, his high-dive act, and the underwater lady's message.

"Whoa," said Grover. "We've got to get you to Santa Monica! You can't ignore a summons from your dad."

Before I could respond, we passed another reporter doing a news break, "Percy Jackson," he said. "That's right, Dan. Channel Twelve has learned that the boy who may have caused this explosion fit's the description of a young man wanted by authorities for a serious New Jersey bus accident three days ago. _And_ the boy is believed to be traveling west. For our viewers at home, here is a photo of Percy Jackson."

We ducked around the news van and slipped into an alley.

"First things first," Percy told Grover. "We've got to get out of town!"

Somehow, we made it back to the Amtrak station without getting spotted. We got on board the train just before it pulled out for Denver. The train trundled west as darkness fell, police lights still pulsing against the St. Louis skyline behind us.

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